Santa Cruz County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Seabright Beach, Santa Cruz County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Mon, May 25: 1–2ft, 14s period, rated Poor. Afternoon is the play — morning is only poor at 1-2ft. Afternoon shapes up better with 1-2ft and poor - fair conditions.
Tue, May 26: 2–3ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on W swell at 13s with gentle NW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 14mph from the NNW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 27: 7–7ft, 14s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 7ft waves on WNW swell at 13s and moderate WNW wind around 8mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Thu, May 28: 3–4ft, 21s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 5ft waves on WNW swell at 11s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Fri, May 29: 5–5ft, 16s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 16s and calm winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SW and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
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Seabright is a long exposed beach break just east of the Santa Cruz Harbor jetty. The jetty influences sand movement and shapes shifting sandbar peaks, with the best conditions on a combo NW/S swell. It is the closest spot to town but sees a fraction of the Pleasure Point crowd, making it a solid everyday option for intermediates.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Seabright Beach is 2-3ft with a 15.25s swell period. Wind is W at 4mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Seabright Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.6ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft SSW secondary swell at 15s, a 1.3ft WNW tertiary swell at 15s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Seabright Beach is Wednesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 13.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Seabright Beach works best with a S swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Seabright Beach. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Seabright Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Seabright is a long exposed beach break just east of the Santa Cruz Harbor jetty. The jetty influences sand movement and shapes shifting sandbar peaks, with the best conditions on a combo NW/S swell. It is the closest spot to town but sees a fraction of the Pleasure Point crowd, making it a solid everyday option for intermediates.
The prime season at Seabright Beach is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Seabright Beach include rip currents, cold water, jetty boat traffic, shifting sandbars. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Seabright Beach forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
